Price-calculating device



(No Model.)

S. HOADLEY.

PEIGE GALGULATING DEVICE. E

Patented July 30, 1889.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILVESTER HOADLEY, OF GOSPORT, INDIANA.

PRICE-CALCULATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,825, dated July 30, 1889.

Application filed April 2, 1889. Serial No. 305,657. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILVESTER I-IOADLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gosport, in the county of Owen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Calculating Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my said invention is to provide a cheap and simple device for calculating the total price, quantity, or rate per given measure of any goods or articles, which can be used with any rule or table of measure, and which can be easily adapted to any weighscales when desired, as will be hereinafter1 more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure l is a perspective View of one of my improved calculating devices constructed for use independent of any measuring-instrument; Fig. 2, a side elevation of a set of weigh-scales fitted with one of the calculating devices, and Fig. 3 a cross-section through the same on the dotted line 3 In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the frame of the device; B, the cylinder having the prices thereon; C, the indicator or scale-beam, and D the frame of the weigh-scales.

The frame A consists of a suitable base having a standard at' each end, in which is formed a journal-bearing a for the journals of the cylinder B. A curtain A is also secured to said base extending up over and covering said cylinder to within about one space of the indicator or scale-beam, thus not only protecting the face of the cylinder and preserving the figures thereon, but also covering from view all the iigures except the line in use, and thereby enabling the eye to more readily reach the figures sought, and preventing confusion.

The cylinder B is mounted. to rotate in the frame A, its shaft or journals b being journaled in the bearings a, formed in the end piece thereof. Its periphery is divided into spaces or lines running longitudinally thereof, at the left-h and end of each of which is indicated a rate-price per any unit of measure, and throughout the length of which is indicated the total price of any multiple, fractional part,

or multiple and fractional part of said unit of measure, as will be presently described.

On the right-hand end of said c 7linder is arranged a device or clutch for stopping and holding it in position desired, consisting of a ring b', secured to the end of the cylinder and provided with notches in its face, and a sprin g-mounted disk b2, surrounding the shaft b, and secured from rotating by a guide-pin a', extending out from the frame through a perforation in said disk, which is also provided with notches in its face adapted to engage vth the notches in said ring b. Said notches are formed of a length corresponding to the width of the spaces on said cylinder, and are arranged to stop the cylinder in eX- actly the position desired relatively to the beam C, the inclination of said notches being equal on each side, thus permitting the cylv inder to be rotated in either direction by means of a small hand-wheel b3, formed on the end of the journal l), which projects through its bearing, as shown.

The beam C may be, for the purposes of this invention, either a stationary indicatorbeam supported on the top of the end pieces of the frame A, as shown in Fig. l, or the common scale-beam of any ordinary weighscales, as shown in Fig. 2. It is in either case preferably divided, by a scale indicated thereon, into spaces which indicate units, which spaces are subdivided into halves, fourths, eighths, and siXteenths, as shown, which may indicate ounces or such fractional part-s of whatever unit of measure is used. l/Vhen used with weigh-scales, this beam is provided with the usual weight or poise c, on which is secured an indicator-'linger c', which projects down and curves out to point to the line of figures on the cylinder immediately beneath. A similar indicator-finger could, of course, be arranged on the beam shown in Fig. l, if desired; but by forming the front side, on which the scale is made, tapering, as shown, the connection between the division on the scale and the mark on the cylinder below is easily discerned without such an aid.

The scales D are or may be of a common or any desired construction, and need no detail description herein.

As before stated, the cylinder B is divided into longitudinal spaces, each of which has a certain rate per given unit of measure indicated at one end on a part of the cylinder which is outside ot' the scale-marks on the beam. Each space is then divided, commenc ing on a line which registers with the first line of the scale on the beam, into as many spaces for each full space or uniton the beam as is represented by the rate at the end, which ratio of division is continued throughout the length of the cylinder, every fifth or tenth space being indicated by figures, and divisions thereof being indicated in a manner to be easily discerned. Anyone of these divisions represents the money value in dollars and cents of the measure of goods indicated by the mark on the scale-beam above, whether the measure be by weight, units, dry, linear, or any known measure.

In Fig. l the space next the beam represents the value of goods at the rate o'f six cents or dollars per measure. lhus the user having sold eight and a halt' yards of drygoods at six cents per yard, by looking at the mark indicating the amount on the sealebeam, and referring to the amount to which said mark points on the cylinder, will see that the price is titty-one cents. Again, to determine the value of nine barrels of tlour at six dollars per barrel, the same process is gone through with; or, if it is wished to determine how many articles at six cents per given measure can be sold for a certain amount, the amount found ou the cylinder, and the mark on the scale-beam with which it registers will be found to indicate the number of measures. ln Fig. 2 its usefulness in connection with the weighscales is illustrated. lhc space on the cylinder next to the scale-beam represents the rate price of seven cents or dollars. The number ot pounds and ounces that can be sold lfor a specified price, or the price in dollars and cents for a certain number of pounds and ounces, is easily determined in the same manner as above described. Again, when a certain number of measures have been sold or must be sold for a certain amount, the mark indicating the measure is found on the scale-beam, and the cylinder is then turned until the desired price is brought to register with said mark, when the rate price at the end of this space will be the price which it desired to determine. lVhile these simple numbers and divisions have been selected to illustrate the operation ot the device, it will be understood, of course, that its greatest uscfulness is in. reckoniiig :fractional and odd calculations, for which it is pecul iarly adapted, the spaces and mtmeycolumns on the cylin der being carried out to any extent and to involve any fractional calculation desired, thus relieving the mind of the labor and detei-mining the result almost instantaneously and to a certainty.

Having thus described my said inventimi, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A ealeulatingdeviee consisting ot' a suitable frame, a beam having the units of measure and fractioilal parts thereof indicated thereon, and a cylinder divided longitudi` nally into spaces, each of which represents a rate price per measure, and is divided into the number oit' spaces between each unit ot measure, which is )resented by the rate price represented on said space, substantially as set `forth.

2. The combinatiou, in a calculating de vice, of the sealebeam having the units ol.' measure and fractional parts thereof indicated thereou, the cylinder having the rate price and multiples thereof indicated there on in longitudinal lines, a holding and stopping device on lthe end of said cylinder for securing it in exactly the position desired, and the curtain A', arranged as describetl, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in a calculating dcviee,oftl1e scalc-beam,the ealcu lati n g-cylind er arranged in close proxim ity thereto, and a cu rtain extending over said eylimler to within about one space of said scale-beam, substantially as described, and for the pn rposes specified.

ln witness whereof `I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, indiana, this 26th day of March, A. I). 18st). 

